


Show Me Your Secrets (Tell Me Your Truths)

by Claytonator



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, Magic Reveal, Reverse Big Bang Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-18
Updated: 2014-03-18
Packaged: 2018-01-16 04:44:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1332388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Claytonator/pseuds/Claytonator
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Merlin's curiosity gets the better of him, duty presses him forward into a confession he wasn't ready to make. Now Arthur has to decide what to do with that new information.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Show Me Your Secrets (Tell Me Your Truths)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so glad to finally post this fic! Written for the 2013 Merlin Reverse Big Bang, which I enjoyed taking part in so much. Thanks to chosenfire28 for organizing the fest, hannijar for the lovely art prompt, and haruchitalia for the wonderful beta advice. Any remaining mistakes are my own, and I hope you enjoy it!

            “No, you don’t understand. I _have_ to do this! I _have_ to tell Arthur!” Merlin was nearly crying as he spoke.

            Gaius could see in his eyes that even though his apprentice was terrified of the idea, he was also set on it. There was no way to talk him out of it. 

            “I’m sorry, but I can’t lie to him anymore.”

            He walked out the room, leaving his elderly mentor behind, and looked down at his boots as he walked the corridors to the King’s chambers. He couldn’t hesitate, or he wouldn’t go through with this. And he had to. Now was the perfect time to do it. If he didn’t, Arthur might back out of the legislation and magic would be outlawed forever. Merlin tried not to think of what might happen as he walked in and closed the door behind him.

            “Arthur? I, uh,” he cleared his throat, “There’s something you need to know.”

_(Jump cut. Int. King’s chambers. Five days previous.)_

            Merlin sighed as he entered Arthur’s chamber for the umpteenth time that day, wondering what on earth he could want this time. He’d already completed all of his daily chores, organized Arthur’s papers for that day’s council meeting, polished everything which could have even the smallest shine, and he had been taking a well-earned rest to glance over his book of spells when the guard had knocked on Gaius’ chambers requesting Merlin go see the king at once.

            “Merlin, there you are.” Arthur barely glanced up from the papers he was studying to ascertain that it was in fact his manservant who had entered, before looking back down at the parchment. “I need you to prepare my horse for a ride. And inform the kitchens I won’t be here for supper. I’ll eat at Lance’s.”

            There was a pause, where Merlin debated questioning the king, but decided it was probably better not to. Arthur had been in a foul mood right from the moment he had woken up, and Merlin had learnt by now that on days like these he should hold his tongue.

            “Oh, you should probably send one of the guards to warn Gwen and Lance that I’ll be going there for supper. They’d appreciate the warning.”

            Merlin continued standing just inside the door, his confusion clear on his face, but still he said nothing. He hadn’t technically been dismissed, but…

            “Why are you still here? Go!” Arthur snapped at him when he realized he was still standing there.

            It couldn’t have been more than half an hour before Arthur was out on his horse. He’d refused to take even one guard with him – he hated how everybody wanted to mollycoddle him now that he was king. Yes, he was now a more valuable target, but wearing the crown hadn’t destroyed his ability to wield a sword. He rode off toward the forest to the west of the castle, planning on taking his time, organizing his thoughts, before going to visit Gwen and Lance. He just needed some air, that was all, so his brain could make sense of the turmoil that was currently churning away in there.

_(Jump cut. Int. King’s chambers. Late afternoon.)_

            Merlin rolled his eyes at Arthur’s laziness as he went to tidy up his desk. The king hated coming back to a messy room, even if he was the one who had left it that way.

            He didn’t mean to pry, he really didn’t. But as he was shuffling the papers strewn across the desk, trying to sort them into some kind of order, a couple words on one particularly lengthy document jumped out at him. He couldn’t believe his eyes. He hadn’t really seen those words, had he? Merlin laughed at himself for being such a fool, because there was no way that he had just read the words ‘magic’ and ‘legalizing’ in one sentence.

            Even though he felt like he was breaking a thousand laws as he did so, Merlin sat down at the desk and started reading through the document. It was written entirely in Arthur’s handwriting, so none of councilors could have seen it, otherwise there’d be scribbles and amendments all over the place. They were a group of curmudgeonly old men who pretty much only supported Arthur, and grudgingly at that, because he was Uther’s son. This kind of radical reform would probably kill half of them of a heart attack before they even began discussing it.

            The more Merlin read, the more the ache in his chest grew. He didn’t dare hope that Arthur would enact this legislation. It gave full citizenship rights to sorcerers, suggested some kind of registration process so new users could find someone trustworthy to teach them how to use their talents, and it even granted the right to a fair trial to anybody suspected of using magic for any kind of criminal act. The punishment terms suggested were somewhat harsher than those for non-magic users, but frankly, Merlin didn’t even care. That was pretty much to be expected, if this was to be the legislation which permitted the use of magic for the first time in over twenty years. The people were suspicious of magic, and they would obviously carry those suspicions on for a good long while, and maybe these extra precautions would help allay their fears. It wasn’t like legislation was guaranteed to change attitudes - Cenred had never outlawed magic, but in the outlying villages like Ealdor, well. The people there weren’t exactly friendly to magic users. Full equality could come in time, and if Arthur was thinking about allowing magic to such a great degree in one great blow, Merlin was sure that it would follow. He put the document back in the pile of papers on the desk. He wasn’t sure if he wanted Arthur to realize that he’d seen it or not. It somehow felt too close, too personal to him for him to share his thoughts on it.

_(Jump cut. Ext. Woodland. Evening. Arthur is riding his horse, lost in thought.)_

            Arthur couldn’t shake the feeling that even though he’d come out into the woods to clear his mind, he would end up returning even more confused than he’d left. There were so many decisions to make, all the time, and his brain never got a rest from the stress of it all. It was nice to take this time for himself. He was the king, damn it, and he would go out for a ride if he wanted to! Surely he had that prerogative. He allowed himself to take this small pleasure in the midst of all the stress of running the kingdom. It wasn’t just that he had to keep the councilors on his side, trying to show them he was a worthy replacement for Uther, he also had to make sure the people in the towns didn’t revolt. Any new monarch knew that it would be difficult, at least until they established their reign, their power. There was always the risk that the people would take the opportunity to overthrow their new king, and demand a different ruler, fed up of the harsh ways of his predecessor.

            Arthur was so busy worrying about being deposed that he was nearly knocked off his horse by a low hanging branch, and then his focus changed quite dramatically. He paid more attention to where he was going. The deeper into the forest he rode, the quieter his mind became, until he had all but forgotten the stresses of the day. The sun was setting as he turned onto the path which would lead to Lancelot’s house. With Morgana gone and no longer in need of a maid, once they had married they moved out of their respective quarters in the castle. They had bought a small home in one of the suburbs, close enough for Lance to travel to and from the barracks for daily training and guard patrols as a knight of Camelot, but far enough away that they could settle down and create a family together. In truth, Arthur thought Gwen was glad that Morgana had chosen to leave Camelot and find the Druids once Uther had died. No more long hours, no more screaming nightmares in the middle of the night – it was a better arrangement for all involved. Gwen had restarted her father’s blacksmith business and worked from home, mainly making delicate pieces of jewelry, but also having a great side line in swords and armour. It had been a couple months since Arthur had been able to find the time to see them, and he smiled at the thought of seeing them again. He wondered if Gwen would be showing yet – last time he visited, the proud couple had shared the news of her pregnancy with him.

            It was nearly completely dark by the time they sat down to eat together, the room filled with the sounds of the fire crackling and their chatter. The time passed rather quickly, as they updated one another with what had been happening since the last time they met, but soon enough Lance turned the conversation to something Arthur hadn’t really expected.

            “So then, Arthur. What’s stressing you out this time?”

            “What? Nothing, nothing!” Arthur protested feebly. He’d obviously not covered up the residual tension in his face well enough to get past Lance’s keen eyes.

            “Don’t lie to me, I know you too well.”

            Arthur bent his head in defeat. Of course they did. There was no way he was getting out of this now.

            “I’ve…been thinking about some legislation I want to enact. I’ve not even put it to the council yet, but it’s all drawn up, it’s just….rather controversial.”

            “Well, don’t leave us hanging, tell us what it’s about! We might be able to help,” Gwen said with a kind smile.

            Arthur’s voice was quiet when he answered her, his eyes lowered towards his empty plate.

            “It’s about magic.” He took a deep breath and looked up into her eyes. “I want to legalize magic.”

_(Jump cut. Int. King’s chambers. Morning. Arthur is sleeping. Enter Merlin.)_

Merlin looked over at Arthur as he closed the door behind him. He was curled up in the thick covers like a child, the sunlight shining around the edges of the curtains creating a halo around his golden hair. Merlin took a minute to just look. He knew there could never be anything between the two of them, what with him being a servant and a sorcerer to boot. But still, he’d spent pretty much every day of the past four years with the guy, and he really would have been an idiot if he hadn’t realized just how much there was to _love_ about the prat. He was noble, and brave, and just, and fair, and all kinds of wonderful Merlin hadn’t even known he’d been looking for. There were occasions, rare though they were, when Merlin almost fooled himself into thinking that Arthur looked at him with affection which surpassed that of friends. But those looks were fleeting, and few and far between.

            Shaking himself out of his reverie, Merlin crossed the room and shoved Arthur’s shoulder to wake him up.

            “Good morning, sire!” Merlin called as he opened the curtains, the sunlight temporarily blinding Arthur’s sleepy eyes.

            “How the hell are you always so cheerful in a morning?” Arthur mumbled under his breath as he dragged himself out of bed, his limbs unwilling to move. He felt bone tired, having stayed up half the night debating the finer points of hypothetical magic-related legislation with Gwen and Lance. Merlin just smirked in response, his hearing rather keener than Arthur had counted on.

            Arthur snuck a glance at Merlin as he was reaching up to the top shelf of the closet to grab a clean pair of breeches. The way his shirt rode up just enough to reveal a sliver of pale skin, and _gods,_ how those damned trousers clung to his arse. It just wasn’t fair, such a clumsy and idiotic servant being so damned beautiful. And Arthur knew he wasn’t actually an idiot – he never even meant it when he offered it up as a light-hearted insult. He just made sure he always reminded himself that Merlin was an idiot, otherwise he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from falling in love with the fool the next time he fell over his own feet.

            “I need you to make sure the kitchens have everything prepared for the Queen Mithian’s arrival tomorrow. Be sure to remind them she doesn’t eat meat.”

            “Is there anything else for today, sire, or is it just the usual?”

            “I don’t think so, be sure to check at lunch though.”

            “Yes sire,” Merlin replied, getting started on making the king’s bed as he ate breakfast, having finished dressing him for the council meeting that morning. He’d almost forgotten that Mithian would be returning to Camelot to renegotiate the various treaties between Camelot and Nemeth after the unexpected death of her father the month previous. He was almost looking forward to the visit, even if it would mean extra work for him. Mithian was by far his favourite of all the royals he’d had to put up with on the seemingly endless diplomatic visits.

_(Jump cut. Int. King’s chambers. Night. Arthur and Mithian share a carafe of wine.)_

“Now that all that dull business is over with, what’s the real reason you brought me here, Arthur?” Mithian swirled her wine around in her goblet, leaning back in her chair. “You know as well as I, those treaties could have been left for another five years without either of us ever touching them. So why am I here?”

            This was why Arthur got on as well with Mithian as he did – she always cut through the political bullshit and got right to the point. She knew how to play the game along with the best of them, but at the end of the day it bored her just as much as it did him.

“I wanted to ask your advice about something. I’m sure you’ve realized by now that I don’t share my father’s beliefs on sorcery.” Mithian regarded him with cool brown eyes. “Nemeth is known for its regulated tolerance of magic. It’s early days yet, but I’ve wondered about introducing a similar system in Camelot.”

There was no surprise in Mithian’s gaze, only an evaluating stare. Arthur felt like she was trying to judge how sincere he was being.

“That’s quite the bold move, Arthur. Not that I’m discouraging you, but I have to ask – have you considered how your subjects would react?”

“Far too much, I fear. I need all the information available to me before I make any decisions, and I know I will have to take their reactions into account.”

Mithian nodded, seeming to accept his answer as the right one. It was very late by the time she left for her own chambers that night.

_(Jump cut. Two days later. Ext. Main steps of the castle. Daytime.)_

“It was wonderful to have you visiting again, my lady Mithian.”

            “You must come see Nemeth soon, Arthur. I wish you the very best with _all_ of your future plans.” She gave him a _look_ , making sure he fully understood just which plans she was referring to.

            “And I wish the same to you. I hope you have a pleasant journey back.”

            They came together in a hug, despite it not being the formal protocol for visiting royals. The two were far too close to say goodbye only with words. As they embraced, Mithian whispered in his ear.

            “I hope you aren’t going to keep your poor manservant in suspense very much longer, he’s head over heels for you, Arthur. Don’t try to deny it – I’ve seen the way you look at him.”

            Arthur blinked in surprise, not sure how he was supposed to react to that, but he didn’t get a chance to anyway. Mithian let go of him, and descended the steps to mount her horse. The king was left reeling with confusion as he returned to his chambers. How the hell had Mithian picked up on his affections for Merlin? And never mind that, was it true that Merlin returned the very same feelings?

_(Jump cut. Int. Gaius’ chambers.)_

Merlin was distracted as he helped Gaius blend the potions and salves he used to remedy the maladies of the many nobles who lived in the castle. Gaius had noticed of course, but figured that if there was anything particularly pressing on his apprentice’s mind, then he’d speak up and ask for counsel. It wasn’t until Merlin handed Gaius the wolfsbane instead of the lavender that Gaius finally snapped. Being slow in mixing herbs together, or grinding spices was one thing, but trying to give him an herb which would worsen the condition he was trying to cure was another completely.

            “Merlin! Would you either pay attention to what you’re doing or just tell me what it is you’re worrying over?”

            Merlin glanced over at Gaius’ raised eyebrow, and the bottle in his hand, and realized there was no way out of this one. He couldn’t help it, the document from Arthur’s desk had been haunting him for days, and he just couldn’t stop thinking about it. Even the possibility of having magic legalized was just so exciting to Merlin that he was too scared to believe in it. Arthur hadn’t said anything about it to him, not even in passing, and Merlin couldn’t work out if that was because it was too controversial to risk, or if Arthur was too unsure of the bill itself. There wasn’t any logical reason for the sense of urgency Merlin felt regarding the topic – he knew new legislation was often drafted months and months and months before it was ever enacted. He’d heard Arthur complain about the drafting process enough times to know that. So there really wasn’t and reason to rush into any rash decisions about it. And yet….and yet Merlin was sure that this was his critical moment. That Arthur would somehow lose his guts if it went unmentioned for too long. That the bill would end up locked away in a drawer, dusty and forgotten, along with all thoughts of legislating magic. But despite this sense of urgency Merlin felt, he still didn’t want to tell Gaius. His mentor would offer up some sage words of advice, probably tell him to forget all about it and let destiny take its course, then get back to cooking up remedies. Merlin wasn’t sure his internal conflict would be solved by making it external, but then again, it couldn’t make it any worse.

            “I…I saw something in Arthur’s room when cleaning the other day. It was a draft of a bill, but I don’t think he’s shown it to anybody yet. I wasn’t supposed to read it, I know, but it was about magic, and I just couldn’t help myself.”

            Gaius just nodded, waiting for Merlin to continue. He was holding back on any reaction until Merlin finished with his story.

            “It was so detailed, and there were problems with it, but I – I just got so excited when I saw it. Arthur’s drafted a bill legalizing magic, Gaius. There’s no other notes on it, just Arthur’s clean version, so I don’t think he’s ready to tell anyone about it yet.”

            “Then maybe you should let him tell someone when he’s ready.”

            “But what if he never is? What if he’s always worried about the ‘border lands’ and ‘consolidating his reign’ and ‘securing the throne’ and all those other things he’s always talking about? What if he never shows it to anyone?”

            “Oh, I doubt that will happen. He must have written it for a reason, he wouldn’t just ignore it.”

            “He’s so busy as king, I’ve had to remind him about who visiting diplomats were. He could easily forget about it!” Merlin was getting frustrated with Gaius’ blasé outlook on the situation. Sure, he might not have explained it perfectly well, but he couldn’t believe that Gaius wasn’t understanding just how important this was to Merlin. “Don’t you see? I can’t just let this opportunity slide by! It could mean my freedom! I wouldn’t have to hide anymore!”

            “Merlin, calm down! Think about this – you won’t be doing any good by making any rash decisions. I’m sure you don’t have to act on this right away.”

            “I’ve already waited! I don’t know what else to do Gaius. This could be the moment I’ve been waiting for-“

            “-Don’t you dare reveal your secret to him, Merlin! It’s suicide!”

            “No, don’t you see? It’s not! If Arthur’s considering legalizing magic, then he couldn’t want to execute me,” Merlin was aware that his logic was getting out of hand, that his thoughts were running away from him, but the thought of finally telling Arthur the truth was infectious.

            “Don’t be stupid. Merlin, don’t do this. We can think about this properly once you’ve calmed down, make a better decision on it then.” Gaius turned away, returning to work. The conversation was over as far as he was concerned.

            But it wasn’t over for Merlin, who slammed his hands down on the workbench to get Gaius’ attention again. Startled, he looked up at the young man before him – his eyes wide, his cheeks flushed, his face an expression of desperation.

“No, you don’t understand. I _have_ to do this! I _have_ to tell Arthur!” Merlin was nearly crying as he told Gaius this. 

Gaius could see in his eyes that even though his apprentice was terrified of the idea, he was also set on it. There was no way to talk him out of it. 

“I’m sorry, but I can’t lie to him anymore.”

He walked out the room, leaving his elderly mentor behind, and looked down at his boots as he walked the corridors to the King’s chambers. He couldn’t hesitate, or he wouldn’t go through with this. And he had to. Now was the perfect time to do it. If he didn’t, Arthur might back out of the legislation and magic would be outlawed forever. Merlin tried not to think of what might happen as he walked in and closed the door behind him.

“Arthur? I, uh,” he cleared his throat, “There’s something you need to know.”

The king looked over his shoulder from where he had been staring aimlessly out the window. He’d been trying to make sense of what Mithian had said. Of course it would be Merlin who walked in to interrupt his thoughts. Just as he had stared to make sense of things in his head, here was Merlin to confuse things further. Such was his life.

            “Yes? Get on with it, Merlin.”

            Now that it actually came down to it, the words stuck in Merlin’s mouth, choking him with their importance. This was it, the moment he’d been waiting for ever since he’d realized just how much he wanted Arthur to see who he really was. This would make or break everything. Merlin struggled to think through the pressure.

            “I, uh. Well. When I was tidying up your desk a few days ago, I saw something. I don’t think you meant for it to be out in the open, but I saw it. And I read it.”

            Arthur’s heart started to beat faster with worry. What had Merlin seen?  Most of the time the king wouldn’t care one way or the other, Merlin could be trusted to not read council papers since they were too dull.

            “It was about legalizing magic.”

            Damn. Merlin had read the exact bill Arthur wished he hadn’t. He still had no idea if he was ever going to do anything with the damn thing, as much as he’d like to. Mithian had been very clear in her warnings, telling him the absolute truth, the realities of a realm with magic. All the difficulties which came with it, with implementing a system – the possibilities for failure were enormous. Merlin voicing his support for a bill he wasn’t even supposed to have seen was the very last thing he needed right now.

            “I know I shouldn’t have read it, but before you tell me I’ve got a week in the stocks to look forward to, hear me out.”

            Arthur gestured for Merlin to continue as he crossed the room to lean on his desk. He may as well get comfortable, Merlin was wont to ramble.

            “I don’t know what you’re planning to do with that bill Arthur, but I had to say something. It’s controversial, and risky, I get that, I really do, but you can’t just lock it away and never do anything about it. This land is crying out for magic to return to it. The longer you put this off, the angrier people are going to get. They looked forward to a time of change when you came to the throne, an end to Uther’s tyranny.” Arthur raised his eyebrows in a silent warning that Merlin was treading on thin ice at that part. “You’re worried about them rebelling, but you can’t think about that. If you only focus on that you’ll never see the benefits it could bring. Your job isn’t to make everyone happy, Arthur. Your job is to make sure everyone has the opportunity to be happy. There are children growing up in your kingdom believing they are cursed because they have magic. Men and women get lynched every day for trusting the wrong person with their secret, they’re forced to live in hiding because they have no other way to be free. Their entire existence is deemed illegal because of a small minority who abuse their powers! Can’t you understand the importance this could have for them?”

            “I’m aware how important it would be, Merlin. I’m wondering why you’re so impassioned about it though – never had you pegged down as one to support radical reforms.”

            The temptation to throw his arms up and bang his head against the wall in frustration was almost too much for Merlin to bear. Almost.

            “I’m ‘so impassioned’ about it because I _was_ one of those children, Arthur! I grew up isolated and alone, afraid of what would happen if anyone knew who I really was. I thought I was cursed for _so_ many years. I hated my gifts, I hated myself for having them! I would have given _anything_ for something like this in Ealdor!”

            Arthur stared at Merlin, who was panting softly after his outburst.

            “Are you saying that you’re a sorcerer, Merlin?” Arthur didn’t know how to react. He forced his voice to remain neutral as he asked, already knowing the answer in his heart.

            “Yes. Yes, I’m a sorcerer, Arthur,” Merlin said with visible relief. The tension left his shoulders and he looked up at the ceiling, blinking. Arthur wasn’t sure if his eyes were watering from desperation or fear or joy.

            He didn’t know what to do with the new information that Merlin was a magic user. But really, could he have been anything else after that speech? Arthur responded the only way he could.

            “You should leave Merlin. Return to your chambers. I won’t be needing you in the morning.”

            Arthur turned away, walking back to his window, his face not revealing any emotions whatsoever. Merlin froze in shock. He didn’t know what reaction he’d been expecting, but it hadn’t been this cold brushoff, this casual rejection. He left.

_(Jump cut. Int. Merlin’s chambers. Daytime. Merlin is huddled in a blanket, poring over his book of magic.)_

It had been two days since Merlin had told Arthur about his magic and there was still no word from him. There hadn’t been any guards sent to arrest him either, so at least that was in his favour. Merlin didn’t know what to do with himself. He was reading over the book Gaius had given him in an attempt to distract himself, trying to master those few spells he hadn’t tackled yet for one reason or another. It wasn’t really working. His heart wasn’t in it. Before, Arthur hadn’t known about his magic and Merlin had no problem using it, since there was no way he could be judged for it, what with him constantly looking over shoulder to make sure it stayed a secret. But now the idea of even a hypothetical disapproval from Arthur meant he couldn’t focus enough on one spell for long enough to cast it. He just kept replaying the moment when Arthur’s face had closed off, shutting him out; trying to understand what he had been thinking. It was such an enigma, and Merlin had no chance of cracking it. He may as well admit it to himself – he was pining.

            After spending nearly four continuous years in the prat’s presence, it was difficult to remember what to do with his day when he wasn’t running around on his majesty’s every command. So he barricaded himself in his bedroom, ignored Gaius’ protests that he really should eat something, and he let his mind run wild with the possibilities of what Arthur could be doing right that very minute. No matter how much his reaction had _hurt,_ cut right into the very soul of him, Merlin still missed him.

_(Jump cut. Int. King’s chambers. Daytime. Arthur is pacing.)_

Arthur knew he should probably stop pacing his room or he’d wear a groove in the floorboards, but he couldn’t seem to stop. The movement helped calm the storm of thoughts he was struggling to organize. Merlin was a sorcerer. A bloody _sorcerer._ And, well, that just complicated everything. Before he’d burst in to drop that bombshell, Arthur had pretty much decided that he would broach the subject of his affections for his manservant, find out if they were reciprocated. He had decided to delay the magic legislation until he was surer of his position, yet Merlin made it sound like his position wouldn’t be secure until he enacted it. But now? Could he trust anything he said anymore?

            Arthur was caught in indecision, torn between taking Merlin’s advice – he’d been right about some things in the past, and he wouldn’t have risked so much to speak up if it wasn’t truly important – and trying to forget it had ever happened. It was tough decisions like these that made him wish that he wasn’t the king, or at least that he had someone he could share all his concerns with. That would’ve been Merlin, but Arthur hadn’t seen him in two days. To be fair, he wasn’t sure that he had wanted to see him. He was still trying to work out what his next steps should be, but he couldn’t delay acting forever. He had to make a decision.

            He wasn’t sure it was at all for the best, but damn it, Arthur wanted to see his best friend. He needed to fix this, he needed to find a way forward, and as much as he knew it would be a horribly awkward conversation, Merlin was the only person he could have it with.

            He sent a guard to fetch the idiot and bring him to his chambers.

            He didn’t have to wait long before Merlin was standing awkwardly in front of him, staring very determinedly at the ground in front of him and nowhere else. His hands were clasped behind his back to hide the fact he was so nervous they were shaking. Merlin had no idea what to expect. 

            “Have you ever used sorcery in Camelot?” Arthur stood opposite Merlin, his arms folded as if they could shield him from the answers he feared receiving.

            “Yes, sire. I have used it to protect you and the kingdom. Never for anything else, only for the good of Camelot.” Merlin was quiet as he answered, trying to prove to Arthur there was nothing to fear from him.

            “Give me an example.”

            “When I drank from the poisoned chalice and you went to seek the Mortaeus flower. You said there was a light in the cave which guided you out to safety. I summoned that light.”

            “You were unconscious! At least try to give me a reason to believe you, Merlin.”

            “Gaius says that I had an orb of light in my palm during my fever. That I was talking through my sleep, telling you to follow it.”

            “Prove it. Prove that you were the one to cast the light.”

            Merlin looked up sharply, surprised at Arthur’s request. He couldn’t believe he was actually being asked to perform magic in front of the king until Arthur gestured impatiently for him to get on with it. So he did, holding his hand out. His eyes flashed golden and the blue light filled his palm, glowing steadily even as Merlin trembled under Arthur’s scrutinizing gaze.

            “You can put it out.” Merlin’s arm dropped back down to his side. “You say you’ve only ever used your powers to protect Camelot. Why? Why use them for good? If you have so much power, why haven’t you killed me and taken the throne already?”

            “Because magic isn’t evil! Magic can be a force for good, you just have to be brave enough to see it, sire.” Merlin sounded defeated, a heavy sigh punctuating his words. It seemed to Arthur that he was just tired of all the pretense, of the struggle he’d faced time and time again, showing him that magic wasn’t all bad and getting slapped in the face by Uther’s indoctrination.

            “I need you think carefully before you answer the next question, Merlin. I need you to ignore what you want, how you might personally feel. If you’ve only ever put the good of Camelot first, then do it again now. Tell me if legalizing magic is for the good of the people.”

            There was a pause as Merlin decided how best to word his answer. He didn’t need time to work out what is answer was, he just need to get the phrasing right.

            “Yes. Without a doubt. If you can help even one child who is scared of their powers with that bill, then you should do it. There’ll be resistance, of course there will, but you can change the bill. You can impose sanctions on those who discriminate against sorcerers. This legislation has the potential to change Camelot forever. To make it better, for everyone.”

            “Everyone?”

            “You think all injuries and illnesses can be healed with herbs? Or that there aren’t industries which would be more productive with the use of magic? Or that magically trained knights won’t be useful in a fight against rebel sorcerers?”

            Silence. Arthur thought about what Merlin had said as he stared to pace again. Those weren’t benefits he’d even considered before, ones he never would have without Merlin’s prompting. His servant’s words from two days before echoed around his head, _‘Your job isn’t to make everyone happy, Arthur. Your job is to make sure everyone has the opportunity to be happy’_. He realized that he hadn’t ever needed to question his decisions, he’d just needed the reassurance that he wasn’t being utterly foolish for attempting such a thing. Reassurance which Merlin had seen he needed, and had provided, by risking his life. And well, there was his answer, wasn’t it? How could he deny sorcerers the right to freedom after his closest companion had risked everything he was to defend them?

            “Thank you Merlin. Once again, you’ve proved yourself to be a true friend to myself and to Camelot. I’m lucky to have you.” Arthur clasped a hand around Merlin’s shoulder, making him look up. His eyes were glittering with unshed tears as he realized what Arthur’s words meant. He couldn’t stop the grin breaking out on his face.

            Arthur would never admit it, but the look of joy on Merlin’s face made it all worth it.

_(Jump cut. Ext. Druid camp. Early morning. Morgana is sleeping on a bedroll.)_

            Morgana shifted in her sleep, lost in the depths of another dream. Such was the life of a Seer. She knew she would never be able to control her dreams completely, but being here, with the Druids, having some modicum of freedom and the feeling of a home was enough to make it bearable. This was dream was different though.

            When Morgana awoke to the sunlight streaming through the trees, she woke with a smile on her face. There was no fear, no nausea, no tears from that dream, only joy. She went to see Aglain, who was chopping wood.

            “I had a dream again last night.”

            “You look very well this morning, Morgana. I take it this dream was not as unpleasant as the others?”

            “No, it wasn’t.” She smiled to herself, wondering how to reveal the news of what she had seen. “It is my brother, in Camelot. He is to legalize magic. Emrys revealed himself to him, and has helped him in his decision. They will finalize the terms of the bill together.”

            “But this is wonderful news! We must ride for Camelot at once, and join the celebrations.”

            “We’re going to be free! At long last, we’re going to be free!”

            They shared a gleeful hug, and quickly shared the news with the rest of the camp. They were a fair distance from the Citadel, and it would take them some time to get there. It had been too long since Morgana had seen her half-brother, and she looked forward to the happy reunion.

_(Jump cut. Int. King’s chambers. Daytime.)_

It had been a difficult two months, full of arguments and stress and pushing the councilors to make decisions they were not particularly willing to make. Merlin and Arthur had been through endless drafts and negotiations on the legislation, but the fight had been worth it. Today the bill would finally be enacted and all their hard work would be at an end. Now, Merlin dressed Arthur in silence, both of them too tense to talk. This day was too important to them both. Now all they could do was wait with baited breath, hoping the populace reacted to the bill the way they hoped.

            Merlin fastened the clasp of Arthur’s ceremonial cloak, the red fabric cascading over his shoulders. He had to stop himself from smoothing it out. He knew that was just an excuse for wanting to touch Arthur some more, but he couldn’t do that. He knew he was lucky enough that their friendship had survived after all the lies, and he wasn’t going to risk it by asking for something he would never be allowed to have. Things hadn’t been easy between them after Merlin had revealed his magic. Arthur had grudgingly allowed Merlin to return to work, after that fateful conversation about the law, but he had watched him like a hawk. Merlin felt like he could barely breathe without Arthur wondering if he was using magic right that very minute. It had been weeks and weeks until Arthur started to relax around Merlin again, but he still kept asking questions – what he used his sorcery for with his chores, how things could be easier with magic, how hard it had been to keep it hidden. The questions were sporadic, but at least Arthur was asking questions.

            The first time Arthur had asked Merlin to perform magic in front of him had nearly given Merlin a heart attack. He’d been wondering if Arthur would ask, but when it came down to it, it just felt bizarre. After being so practiced in hiding it for so many years, using his magic openly felt so very exposed.       

            And yet, despite all of that, Merlin still thought the two of them were closer than they had been in years. There were no more lies, no more secrets between them. They had more arguments now, more small disagreements, but that was slowly getting better, and at least they were honest arguments now. Merlin couldn't deny that he wanted something more than this, but it wouldn't be worth it if it risked their friendship. That was something Merlin would never put in danger again. If this was to grow into something more, Arthur would have to make it very clear to him that he wanted it too. (Of course, Arthur would never make the first move in this hypothetical relationship. He was too proud for that, but maybe he would let Merlin make it, if he dropped enough hints.)

            "All done." Merlin wanted to say something else, some encouragement, a thank you maybe, but the words dried up in his throat. Now was the opportune moment to say something and he was frozen in indecision. He clapped Arthur on the shoulder instead, hoping that gesture would convey at least some of the emotion he was feeling.

            Arthur tried to remember how to breathe properly as he walked through the corridors to the antechamber. Just a few yards away were the doors to the balcony where he would make his speech to the amassed crowds below him. He tried not to think about the consequences this speech could have - rebellion, war, regicide - but the images invaded his mind anyway.

            _(Ext. The balcony. Noon.)_

            Arthur stepped out and looked down at the townspeople gathered in the courtyard. A hush fell over the people as they saw their king in all his ceremonial glory emerge into the sunlight.

            "Good people of Camelot, today I pass into law a new bill of rights. It is tradition that a proclamation be made whenever such a change is made to the laws governing this kingdom. It is not a tradition to read aloud the bill to the people. Today I change this tradition, because you have a right to know what changes your leaders are making behind closed doors."

            He paused, his courage failing him just slightly before he was ready to launch into possibly the most terrifying speech he'd ever made. The parchment he held in his hands with the legislation on it shook in his trembling hands. He looked out at the crowd, praying to any god that would listen that this would go well.

            And then he saw Morgana and her druids join the edges of the crowd, and she was smiling up at him, and he knew he could do it. There was a reason he was passing this bill - and it was because of those closest to him. Morgana, Merlin, Gaius, they all had magic, they had all suffered because of it. It was time for the suffering to end.

            "All persons who practice sorcery will submit themselves for registration starting tomorrow. They will demonstrate their talents for the court, and will receive a registration number with the royal seal upon it. This will be their authorization to continue their practices. All persons who are accused of a crime pertaining to sorcery will be entitled to a fair trial. All persons convicted of crimes using sorcery will receive the same punishments as those who commit non-magical crimes." He took a deep breath. "The use of magic will no longer be illegal in Camelot!" He finished with a shout.

            He was frozen as he awaited the reaction of his people. Merlin stood behind the doors to the balcony, eyes squeezed shut and heart in his mouth.

            A great cheer started, the clapping and stamping of feet building into an overwhelming cacophony of joy. Arthur suspected that Morgana was the one who suggested that the druids send up brightly coloured sparks into the air in celebration. He couldn't stop the grin from breaking through his kingly composure. The ecstasy of the moment was infectious. Merlin started laughing from behind the door, tears springing to his eyes. He couldn't believe it had actually happened. After all these months of working and worrying, it was finally here. Magic was finally legal.

_(Int. Banquet hall. Nightime. Loud banquet.)_

Arthur was surrounded by smiling members of the court, his favoured knights and an awful lot of food. It had been the kitchen staff's idea to hold a banquet to celebrate the legalization of magic. It felt like the entire week had been one long party, in the castle, the citadel, and the lower town. Morgana was sat at Arthur's right hand, and Merlin at his left. Although Merlin was still technically a servant, it only felt right that he should be an honoured guest at this feast, after all the effort he had put into the legislation. Morgana had been officially invited to stay at the court, to act as an advisor for all things magical. She had accepted on the condition that the druids would be given a safe space to live on the vast expanse of the castle grounds. Merlin couldn't have been happier to have her back - they would talk for hours about magical theory and utterly confuse Arthur. There was music and laughter and wine as the evening passed in careless frivolity. The druids had been invited to join the feast, and although most had declined, some of the younger ones had jumped at the chance to see how the nobles threw a party. The street festivals in the lower town had their own charm, of course, but they would be foolish to turn down such succulent food when they were offered it.

            If Arthur was being completely honest, he was very much looking forward to the end of the feast so he could collapse into bed and ignore his responsibilities for a while. This week had been so exhausting, he wasn't entirely sure how he was still awake right now. He wasn't going to deny that he was grateful or how well the city had responded to the news. It had been far better than he had hoped for. The first few days after the proclamation had been spent registering those sorcerers who were brave enough to come forward and get registered. Once they saw there really were no ill consequences from doing so, more and more came forward to out their names down. Merlin had been the first to receive a royal seal of authorization, demonstrating his powers with an excited smile. The dragon he had created from the embers in the fireplace had flown around the room before landing on the back of Arthur's throne, where it curled up like a cat to sleep. Arthur and Merlin exchanged excited glances as some unexpected members of the court emerged from the shadows and queued up to be registered after that display. 

            Obviously, it hadn't all been fun and games. There had been plenty of questions and complaints and fears from the people which needed answering, but Arthur liked to think that his court was open enough that they could come and question him without the fear of repercussions. Merlin had reassured him so many times over the past days, reminding him that there were bound to be some issues, but they were small in comparison to the general reaction. Arthur really didn't have that much to worry about, but he couldn't help it. It was his job to worry about the happiness and safety of his subjects.

_(Int. Morgana's chambers. Evening.)_

            "You know Merlin, you mean a lot to him. I wasn't here after Uther's death, I didn't stay and deal with the aftermath. You were here for him then, and you're here for him through all of this."

            "I'm-I'm not sure that's quite true. I'm just a servant. At least he's finally starting to believe me that there won’t be a rebellion at any moment."

            Morgana looked up from the goblet of wine in her hand and gave Merlin a _look._ They were sat in matching armchairs in front of the fire, relaxing now that Merlin had finished work for the day. Merlin had accidentally become Morgana's unofficial advisor and mentor. She’d never had the chance to study magical theory like he had, she’d been too busy trying to cope with her Seer’s dreams. He hadn't particularly wanted to take on the job, but she was a woman who was used to getting what she wanted. You could only say no to Morgana for so long. 

            "Oh, please. You're far more than 'just a servant' and you're a fool if you don't realize it. Arthur's been mooning over you for years. I can't believe you’ve never noticed it."

            "I was always kind of busy not getting executed for sorcery. Besides, I've got no idea what you're talking about."

            Morgana laughed at this. It was not a laugh Merlin enjoyed hearing. It was a laugh which said 'I know exactly what you're trying to do here, but I can see straight through your feeble denial, so get over yourself'. Merlin ducked his head and tried his best not to look guilty of having a massive crush on his king.

            "Of course you don't. You just keep telling yourself that. Anyway, you had better go on and get some sleep - Arthur has training at dawn with the knights tomorrow, if you hadn't forgotten that fact."

            Merlin groaned at the thought of having to get up so early, but he knew Morgana was right. He really shouldn't be up much longer if he didn't want to be late. Just as he was opening the door to leave, Morgana called out to him.

            "Oh, and Merlin? You might want to consider making your move sooner rather than later. He'll only wait for you to take notice for so long."

            Merlin did not sleep well after hearing those words. There were too many thoughts which reused to settle down and leave his brain in peace.

_(Int. Corridor outside the king's chambers. Mid-afternoon.)_

Merlin readjusted the bunch of the flowers in his arms, making sure he wasn't crushing any of the blooms. His breath came in shaky gasps as he tried to convince himself that he wasn't being completely idiotic in doing this. A flush rose to his cheeks when he thought about what he was about to do.

            He'd gone out into one of the meadows near the castle when Arthur had been training and picked the sunflowers he now held. He'd spent far too long the night before thinking about what Morgana had said. Maybe it was true, maybe Arthur felt more than just friendship towards him. Maybe they were both just very careful about hiding their feelings from each other for fear of overstepping their boundaries.

            But none of that theorizing mattered now. As Merlin stood outside the door, trying to find the courage to open it, he was reminded of when he did the same thing months ago. And hey, that had turned out pretty well eventually. Perhaps this would be the same.

            He opened the door.  

_(Int. King's chambers. Mid-afternoon.)_

Arthur looked up as the door opened. It wasn't unexpected when Merlin poked his head around it, peering into the room. Merlin never knocked. What was unexpected was the faint flush in his cheeks, which deepened to a rosy red when he caught Arthur's eyes.

            "Arthur! There you are. In your room. Like always. Um."

            "Was there something you wanted to say, Merlin, or did you just come here to babble at me?"

            "No! No, I came here to say something."

            Arthur looked at him expectantly.

            "Are you going to come in then? Or just stand in the doorway while you prattle on like a fool?"

            Merlin stumbled into the room, hastily trying to hide the flowers behind his back. Dammit. This was all wrong. He shouldn't have gotten flowers, Arthur would hate flowers. Damn Morgana for putting ideas in his head.

            "Um. So."

            "Yes?"

            "I, er, well, that is to say...I brought you flowers."

            Merlin held them out, his hand shaking. Arthur's face had a bemused expression as he took them.

            "They're to say thank you. For all the work you've done for magical equality. And for not executing me. Or firing me."

            "Stop lying, Merlin. You already said thank you for all those things. What are the flowers _really_ for?"

            "Um. Well."

            "Oh, just spit it out, Merlin!"

            "I fancy the pants off you and Morgana said you fancy the pants off me and I thought maybe we should do something about that maybe?" The words rushed out of Merlin before he could corral them into some sort of order. He slapped his hand over his mouth, as if he could push them all back inside before Arthur heard them.

            Arthur blinked in surprise. The flowers should have been a dead giveaway really, and yet this confession was completely unexpected. Slowly, he smiled. Bloody Morgana and all of her meddling - at least she did some good with it. 

            Merlin ended up with his back pressed against the door, having stepped backwards as Arthur stepped forwards, crowding his space. Arthur's calloused hands held him there, one on his waist, the other coming to peel Merlin's fingers away from his lips. 

            Arthur was certain Merlin was about to start nervously rambling and try to take back his declaration, but he didn't give him a chance, leaning in to kiss him instead.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Be sure to go check out hannijar's wonderful art in it's full glory over here- [](LINK)[(x)](http://hannijar.livejournal.com/532.html)  
> (Also, I apologise if the formatting goes haywire- someday I'll work out how to post here without screwing it up!)


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